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There were presented on the examination schedules 22,430 pupils, of whom 14,271 were entered for examination in one or other of the standards, being 98 more than the corresponding number for last year. In all 13,915 were present, and were examined in Standards I. to VI. Of these 11,399 passed the standard for which they were presented, a result which gives 82 as the percentage of passes in standards. Last year this percentage was 84, and it was 80 for the two previous years. The percentage of failures in standards (the exceptions being omitted for this computation) was 14, as against 138 for 1889, 15-J for 1888, and 18 for 1887. The anomaly of the percentage of passes in standards having declined more than the percentage of failures in standards has risen is due to the large increase in the number of exceptions, which has advanced from 393 for 1889 to 495 in the present year. The increase is sufficiently remarkable, and is partly attributable to the prevalence of la grippe during the early months of the year. The number of exceptions has from the first shown a tendency to increase, and this has doubtless had its influence in swelling the total for the year. The average percentage of marks for class-subjects was 54—a figure slightly lower than that for several previous years, and the average of marks for additional subjects was 69. It is of course disappointing to find the results in class-subjects year by year suffering a slight decline, even though the falling-off does not imply any serious want of efficiency in the teaching of these subjects. It is quite unreasonable to expect, as the Minister of Education does (see Thirteenth Annual Report of the Minister of Education, page v.), that the percentage of marks given for classsubjects should exceed the percentage of passes in standards, or even that it should come near that percentage. If all the children presented passed in standards —i.e., if 100 per cent, of them passed— this would mean no more than that all had gained at least 60 per cent, of the attainable marks. But all do not gain 60 per cent, of the marks ; not more than 79 or 80 per cent, of them do so. If account be taken of those who fail, the average of the marks gained in pass-subjects will be somewhere about 60 per cent., since the lower marks of those who fail will probably be counterbalanced by the higher marks of those who pass well. From these considerations it follows that the percentage of passes in standards (82 in this district for this year) does not imply a level of efficiency of instruction very much higher than does the percentage of marks (54) assigned for classsubjects. It is quite plain that no valid comparison can be made between a percentage of passes in standards, which shows only what fractional part of the whole number of children examined succeeded in passing, and a percentage of marks for pass-subjects, which shows what fractional part of the total attainable marks had on the average been gained. If passing meant gaining full marks in each of the pass-subjects the comparision would hold, but it evidently means nothing of the kind. In our judgment a percentage of 60 in the marks given for class-subjects should be considered very satisfactory, and even the more modest percentage of 54 shows a fair average of efficiency in the teaching of them. The percentage of failures exceeds that for last year by the small fraction o'2, a result more favourable than we had expected, for there have been in operation several causes tending to raise it. Drawing is now a pass-subject in Standards I. to V., and in Standard IV. and Standard V. freehand drawing and practical plane geometry are both required. A good many pupils were found to have done little or even none of the latter division of the subject, and we had no option but to fail them in drawing. A somewhat higher profiency in reading was demanded in Standards I. to 111. than in previous years. Children who had read only a single book were, in every case, tested in a book which they had not before seen. This course we adopted with the full sanction of the Minister of Education, and it no doubt led to a trifling increase of failures in this subject in the lower classes. For this purpose we chiefly used Nos. I. and 11. of" Longman's New Eeaders, and Blackie's Century Eeaders, and we intend next year to use, if necessary, Nos. I. and 11. of another series of English reading-books. Besides all this there was a great prevalence of sickness for several months just before the examinations began in the different school districts. When allowance is made for all these circumstances, the results of the work of the schools for the year may be considered quite as good as those of any preceding one. In every standard except Standard VI. there has been a decline in the percentage of standard passes. This is chiefly due tp a slight increase in the number of pupils who were absent from examination, and a very considerable increase in the number of exceptions. A rough idea of the relative number of schools in which the percentage of failures was low, jnoderate, or high may be gathered from the following table : —

Classes. ! i Presented. : Absent. Excepted. Failed. Passed. | Percentage of Passes in Average Age. Standards. Infants. Standard I. Standard II. Standard III. Standard IV. Standard V. Standard VI. Above Standard VI. ... 7,961 2,807 3,009 3,097 2,562 1,750 1,046 198 35 76 91 82 53 19 35 107 146 98 78 31 204 265 559 451 392 150 2,533 2,561 2,301 1,931 1,227 846 90 85 74 75 70 81 Yrs. m. 9 0-3 10 2 11 2-3 12 2-7 13 1-2 13 11-3 Totals 22,430 356 495 2,021 11,399 * Me; in of average age, 11 years 7-3 months.